Transcript: Discovering God's Purpose: Life-Changing Transformation

Music Music Now I've titled this message today, Is God an End or a Means for You? Is God an end or a means for you? In the book of Judges, there's an account which provides the believer, that is you and me, with a sobering perspective of life without God, but we live and we act like we do know him. Yes, indeed. There are people who are doing that. And the Bible has a wonderful story of an account for our day for us to learn from and to glean from. And this is the only place in Scripture where we will find the word of God stating, In those days there was no king in Israel. And every man did what was right in his own sight. And I believe it's three or four times in this one particular chapter that states that in those days, and it's in the book of Judges, but in those days there was no king of Israel. Every man did what was right in his own sight. And the book of Judges describes the life of Israel in the promised land from the death of Joshua to the rise of the monarchy. And this book tells the accounts of frequent apostasy which provokes the divine judgment and the divine discipline of God. In other words, God poured his wrath out on the people. And so that's what this account is really telling us and showing us. And it also tells of the Israelites' urgent appeals to God in the time of crisis, which moved the Lord to raise up leaders, or better known as judges. The book of Judges was a time when God raised up leaders. And they weren't kings, but they were leaders and they were known as judges. and with these judges God used them to supplant the enemy and restore the land to peace once again. So in the book of Judges we have several judges, different judges that the gospel shows us and each one of these were used as restoration. But after the death of Joshua, Israel living in the promised land quickly forgot her God and all the wonderful acts and the miracles that he had done in bringing her out of the severe bondage that they had lived in for so long. They easily forgot. In this story, in the book of Judges, in Judges 17, the principal characters are three people. In Judges 17, verse 1, it's a short little book, But it's so packed and so powerful with a testimony for us today, with an example, with an exhortation for us today. And the principal, I guess you could say, characters are three. A man by the name of Micah who has stolen his mother's money. I don't sense that in this story that Micah and his mother are really very close. close. In fact, we can see that this is an example that there was no king in Israel and that the people basically did what was right in their own sight or their own eyes because this family really is portraying how far they had fallen into sin and they were wallowing in their sin. Micah's mother, who upon getting the money back, tells her son that she is going to turn their money into a god and sets up idolatry in their family. And you'll see in this account also how the mother lied to the son in saying she was dedicating all of the silver to the Lord. When in fact she gives 200 of the 1100 shekels of silver, she pretends to dedicate all of it, just like in the New Testament account of Ananias and Sapphira. So how Israel slipped and fell back into idolatry repeatedly, we can truly see that in this story. But as we read today, notice too that when the images were made, that Micah the son by his mother persuasion had not only well accepted these graven images of idolatry but was greatly pleased and in love with them And there is a strangely bewitching thing that happens when the people fall into a trap or a snare of idolatry. There's something bewitching. There's something of divination that happens when people fall into the trap or the snare of idolatry. I would like you before we begin reading there if you would Go with me to 1 Peter 1.15 And let's look at what Peter is telling us here God has called us to be holy And Peter is telling us that In 1 Peter 1.15 And he says But just as he who has called you is holy Be holy also in all you do For it is written Be holy because I'm holy. So we're going to learn about Micah's mother and what she was made up of. And another main character besides Micah and his mother is the third one. A Levite priest who comes along and Micah hires him. And the priest really says what he wants to hear. Micah hires him for ten shekels of silver a year. and also throws in a tunic and his food. Oh, and also the idols. He throws those in too. So the young Levite priest proves himself to be a true hireling who is only looking for the best offer. And God, for this young priest, turns out to be a means to an end. You're going to see that in the story, where God turns out to be a means for an end. for this priest. In him serving God was only for money, not for love of his God. And he put a value, you're going to see that, where he puts a value upon himself and his religious service activities were just a means to an end. And he used God as a means to an end to get what he wanted in his service to God. And he was looking for the best offer, the highest bidder in his service to God. We're going to see that. And let us begin with Judges 17, verse 1. Now a man named Micah from the hill country of Ephraim said to his mother, The eleven hundred shekels of silver that were taken from you and about which I heard you utter a curse, I have that silver with me. Well really why he gave the silver back and he was coming to confess is because he heard the curse And he understood that that curse would carry some weight So he had fear So he brought it back and confessed to his mother And his mother says, oh the Lord bless you my son And when he returned the 1100 shekels of silver to his mother She said, listen to the solemn vow that she made. I solemnly consecrate my silver to the Lord for my son to make a carved image and a cast idol and I will give it back to you. So he returned the silver to his mother and she took 200 shekels of silver and gave them to the silversmith who made them into the image and the idol and they were put in Micah's house. She only took 200 of those shekels when in fact she dedicated all of it. So she basically lied to her son there. Now this man had a shrine. He made an ephod and some idols and he installed one of his sons as priest. In those days, Israel had no king and everyone did as he saw fit. So he even installed one of his own sons, ordained him. And that's not the way I remind you that it was done in those days that a priest would serve in the temple. And a young Levite from Bethlehem in Judah, who had also been living within the clan of Judah, left that town in search of some other place to stay. And on his way, he came to Micah's house in the hill country of Ephraim. Micah asked him, where are you from? I am a Levite from Bethlehem in Judah, he said, and I'm looking for a place to stay. He could have really said, I'm looking for a job. That's what he really could have said. Verse 10 and then Micah said to him live with me and be my father and priest and I will give you 10 shekels of silver a year your clothes and your food The Levite agreed to live with him and the young man was to him like one of his sons Then Micah installed the Levite and the young man became his priest and lived in his house And Micah said, now I know that the Lord will be good to me since this Levite became my priest. Do you see the hint that he's giving there? He really cared more for what he could get out of God with that statement. Now I know the Lord will be good to me since this Levite has become my priest. In verse 18, we're going to read a few scriptures, 1 through 6. And in those days, Israel had no king. In those days, the tribe of Danite was seeking a place of their own where they might settle because they had not yet come into an inheritance among the tribes of Israel. So the Danites sent five warriors from Zorah and Ishdol to spy out the land and explore it. These men represented all their clans and they told them, go explore the land. And the men entered the hill country of Ephraim and came to the house of Micah where they spent the night, then they were near Micah's house and they recognized the voice of the young Levite. So they turned in there and asked him, Who brought you here and what are you doing in this place? Why are you here? And he told them what Micah had done for him and he said, He's hired me and I'm his priest. And then they said to him, Please inquire of God to learn whether our journey will be successful. And the priest answered them and said, Go in peace. Your journey has the Lord's approval. Verse 7. So the five men left and came to Laish where they saw the people were living in safety like the Sidonians, unexpecting and very secure. And since their land lacked nothing, they were prosperous. And also they lived a long way from the Sidonians and had no relationship with anyone else. Verse 8. When they returned to Zorah and Estol, their brothers asked them, How did you find these things? They answered, Come on. Let us attack them. We've seen that the land is very good. Aren't you going to do something? Don't hesitate to go there and take it over. And when you get there, you will find an unsuspecting people and a spacious land that God has put into your hands a land that lacks nothing, whatever. And 600 men from the clan of the Danites, armed for the battle, set out from Zoranisdol, and on their way they set up camp near Zirath, Jirim, in Judah. And this is why the place west of Kirath, Jirim, is called Mahania, Dan, to this day. And from there they went on to the hill country of Ephraim and came to Micah's house. When the five men who had spied out the land of Laish said to their brothers, Do you know that one of these houses has an ephod, other household gods, a carved image, and a cast idol? Now you know what to do. So they turned in there and they went to the house of the young Levite at Micah's place and greeted him. And the 600 Danites armed for battle stood at the entrance of the gate. Verse 17. And the five men who had spied out the land went inside and took the carved images, the ephod and all the other household gods and the cast idol while the priests and 600 armed men stood at the entrance of the gate. And when these men went to Micah's house, they took the carved images and the ephod and all the other household gods and the cast idol, and the priest said, What are you doing? Verse 19. And they answered him, Be quiet. Don't say a word. Come with us and be our father and our priest. Isn't it better that you serve a tribe and a clan in Israel as a priest rather than just in one man's household? And then the priest was glad. And he took the ephod and the other household gods and the carved images, and he went along with the people, putting their little children and their livestock and their possessions in front of them. They turned and left and went away. Verse 22, And when they had gone some distance from Micah's house, the men who lived near Micah were called together and overtook the Danites. And as they shouted after them, the Danites turned and said to Micah, What's the matter with you that you called out to your men to fight And he replied You took the gods I made and my priest and you went away What else do I have How can you ask what the matter with you And the Danites answered, don't argue with us or some hot tempered men will attack you and your family and lose your lives. So the Danites went their way and Micah, seeing that they were too strong for him, went back home. This poor wretched man's cry after this whole story. You took the gods that I made, and you took my priest. What else do I have? In John 8, 28, and Jesus said, when you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am the one that I claim to be and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me. The one who has sent me is with me and he's not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him. And this will be our heart when we're crucified with him, that we'll speak what the Father instructs us to speak and that we'll always do, dear saints, what pleases the Father. Because he alone is worthy. That's why we should make Jesus Christ the end of all and everything in our lives. Because he alone is worthy. He only is Lord, a holy Lord, a holy God. Because he alone is worthy and our obedience of love and adoration should be to him. He is a holy God. He is worthy of all glory and all honor. And in Revelations 1.5, if you would look with me, please. In Revelation 1.5, And from Christ Jesus, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead and the ruler over all the kings of the earth, to him who loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and he's made us kings and priests to his God and to his Father, To him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. Behold, he's coming with the clouds and every eye will see him, even when they who pierced him and all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of him. Even so, amen. I am the Alpha and I am the Omega. The beginning and the ends is the Lord. Jesus Christ is the king of all kings And he will have the reward of his suffering Will you be one who will devote your life to him Because he's truly worthy of your obedience and of your love He washed you from your wretched profane and your vile sins And now he's in the process of making you and making me a king and a priest. He's made us kings and priests to his God and to his Father. Doing all for God is what it's saying. Just as Jesus did when he was on the earth. Doing everything for his Father. Doing what pleased his Father. See, God sends out his true servants and they will always point people to Jesus. True servants of God will lift Jesus up and will say what the Father tells them to say, not what they want to say. And I remind you that what God's servants speak will always line up and it will agree with the holy word of God. and it will not be a doctrine or a philosophy created in man's image for self-glory or self-gain. Always make Jesus first in your life. And make him your master and the lover of your soul. And make him your end to all means. And make him your all and your all. Always keep your eye fixed on Jesus. And you'll never go wrong. or you won't be guilty of profaning the holiness of God. With Jesus, make him your all in all. Make him your end to all means. Make him your all in all. And with Jesus now king in your life, you will not desire to do what is right in your own sight. You will not compromise the truth of God. There is no way you would even desire to compromise. Make Jesus always king in your life.